Ventilator



July 30, 1946.

G. c. HOCH VENTILATOR Filed Dec. 50, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l GROVE/i CLEVELAND HOG/i,

G. C. HOCH VENT ILATOR July 30, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 50, 1942 H H lili #1 l 1 r f @WQ '5 G. C. HOCH July 30, 1946.

VENTILA'I'OR Filed Dec. 30, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 spore/r CLEELA/VO H06,

July 30, 1946.

G. C. HOCH VENTILATOR Filed Dec. 50, 1942 4 Sheetsr-Sheet 4 Patented July 30 1946 VENTILATOR Grover C. Hoch, Dubuquc, Iowa, assignor to Klauer Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Iowa Application December 30, 1942, Serial No. 470,613

10 Claims.

This invention relates to ventilators and particularly to ventilators adapted to be disposed over an opening along the ridge of a roof. Ventilators of this general type are disclosed in United States Patent to Edward R. Gunter, No. 2,232,027, dated February 18, 1941, and the present invention, although possessing features of broader application presents specific improvements for the ventilator structure there illustrated and described.

One object of the present invention is to incorporate in ventilators of the type of the patent, improvements which render such ventilators of more general application, for example, by making the ventilator in sections of standard lengths and by providing means whereby sections maybe added to one another so that the ventilator requirements for buildings having difierent roof lengths can be taken care of by standard length ventilator units. This feature obviates the necessity, in many instances, of making the ventilators to order in accordance with the length dimensions of a specific building.

Moreover, this feature of the invention makes it possible for the user to add one or more standard length ventilator units to those already in use, where, for example, the building is put to a use requiring greater ventilation.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the structural strength of ventilators of this type is materially increased, while at the same time the manufacture and assembly of the parts is greatly simplified. The invention contemplates the elimination of an angle iron framework and the replacement thereof by sheet metal parts which may be readily cut, stamped, and assembled. It is an object of the invention to efiect such an improvement.

These and other objects will be manifest from the following description and claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of two joined sections of a ridge ventilator constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section;

Figure 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view on theline 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an exploded view showing the parts; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a modified construction.

The ventilator shown in the drawing figures is intended to be applied over an elongated rectangular opening 2 in a roof 4. It may be arranged at the ridge of the roof, or at any other suitable point. It comprises as its principal elements, an eduction pipe 6 of substantially the same dimensions as the opening in the roof, and which preferably is an elongated rectangle in cross section, a cap member 8, a divider l0 form ing a part of the cap member, storm bands l2, ballle plates l4, and lips 16..

As will be apparent from the drawings, the cap member 8 and divider l0 form a cover for the eduction pipe 6 so as to prevent water from falling vertically thereinto. The storm bands it are substantially semi-cylindrical in shape, or outwardly convex. They extend inwardly sufiicient- 1y far at the upper ends, as indicated at I8, to cross straight lines drawn through the upper edges of the eduction pipe and the outer edges of the cap so that the direct entrance of rain into the eduction pipe from the sides is prevented.

The lower edges 20 of the storm bands l2 are spaced from the eduction pipe 6. Along the upper longitudinal edges of the eduction pipe 6 are provided the lips [6 which extend outwardly substantially as far as the edges 20 of the storm bands l2, these lips having slight downward inclinations.

Spaced along the ventilator are a number of transverse baflles generally indicated by the reference numeral l4. These have their upper edges 28 located higher than the upper edges 18 of the storm bands, and extend downwardly to the cap 8. When air flows transversely of the ventilator or perpendicular to the length thereof these baffles have no effect. However, whenever the air flows at an angle, or even longitudinally of the ventilator, the bafiles l4, particularl since they extend above the storm bands, provide a series of obstacles against which the wind strikes and which thus cause low pressure areas along the length of the ventilator. These low pressure areas serve, of course, to draw air from the eduction pipe 6. Thus, whatever the direction of the wind may be, the ventilator willbe effective to exhaust air from the building on which it is applied. The end walls 24 of the ventilator also extend upwardly as high as the baffles, so as to provide additional obstacles. Furthermore, even if the wind should have a slight downward inclination, it will not enter the eduction pipe since the bailles I 4 will stop its flow, and their obstacle eifect will produce a suction to draw air from the ventilator. As shown in some of the figures, the ventilator when in operative position may be provided with a covering screen 26. Still further,- the ventilator may be provided, if

3 desired, with dampers (not shown) of the type indicated in U. S. Patent No. 2,232,027, to which reference has already been made.

The ventilator, a described thus far, is similar to the ventilator disclosed in said U. S. Patent No. 2,232,027. The improvements provided by the present invention reside primarily in the particular shape and manner of construction of the parts and their assembly.

As shown in Figure 1, two vent lator sections A and B are suitably joined together by means which will be described hereinafter, the arr-angement being such that ventilator sections of standard lengths may be made, which sections may be joined together in suflicient numbers when placed on a building roof to meet any desired ventilating requirements.

The individual parts of a section are perhaps more clearly shown in the exploded view (Figure 5). the eduction pipe 6 is made up of two longitudinal members 6a and 6b, each having a downwardly flaring flashing portion 1 adapted in use to be supported by the roof 4 adjacent the roof opening 2. The member 8a and 6b constituting the eduction pipe 5 may be stamped from sheet metal or the like.

The cap member 8 may also be cut and stamped from one piece of sheet metal and then bent or folded to provide the divided I9 as shown.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the baflles, generally indicated by the reference numeral I l, are shown as made of two pieces of sheet metal Ma and Hit. Each of these pieces is provided with a turned-down top edge 28, and integral right angle flange securing members 3Q, 32, 34, and 35. When assembled these pieces Ma and Mb are secured to the cap 3, with the flange members 33 bolted or riveted to the divider IE3 and the flange members 32 to the downwardly inclined walls of the cap 6. Figure 5 shows the holes and 32 used for this purpose in the securing operation. The flange members 34 and 3B of the baille pieces Ma, and

Mb are adapted to be bolted or riveted to the storm band I 2 as shown in Figure 3.

The ventilator unit is also adapted to be held in assembled position by means of a sheet metal bracing member 38 having securing flanges 5, 42 and 64. This bracing member E-Bmay be disposed directly below the bafile pieces Ida and [4b. The flanges 40 thereof are secured to the under surface of the cap 8, while the flanges 42 and M are secured to the walls 6a and 6b respectively of the eduction pipe 8. (See also Figure 3.) Suitable holes, as shown, may be provided to facilitate the securing operation.

Also as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the semicylindrical members of the storm band it are adapted to be secured near their lower edges to the eduction pipe walls. This is accomplished by the angle members 46, one end of which i socured to the eduction pipe wall and the other to the storm band. The angle members 46 also serve to space the edge 23 of the storm band from the eduction pipe.

A ventilator section such as A in Figure 1 is completed by two end members 24 also stamped and bent from sheet metal or the like. ihese end members 24, as seen from Figure 5, have semicircular side edges provided with inwardly directed flanges 43, which, when a ventilator is assembled are adapted to overlie the end edges of the storm band.

The end walls 24 are also provided with a series From this figure it will be apparent that I of inwardly projecting angle members 50 for joining the end wall to the storm band [2 (see Figures 4 and 5). Moreover, the end walls are provided with angle support means 52 for the ends of the cap 8, and also an inwardly projecting vertical member 54 for the end of the divider l5. Brace members 56, to which the ends of the walls of the eduction pipe are secured, are also provided. The members 58, 52, 54 and 55 may be of heavier material and may be secured to the end walls 24 by spot welding or the like.

The tops 22 of the end walls 24 extend upwardly to a distance corresponding to the upper edge of the baflle pieces Ma, MI), and like them are also turned over to avoid any sharp protrud ing edge. The bottom edges 53 of the end walls 24 are cut with an inverted V to correspond to the angle of pitch of the roof.

In disposing a ventilator section on a roof, it is advantageous to provide end flashing members 68 which, as shown in Figure 5, may be cut and stamped from one piece of sheet metal in such manner as to provide two upstanding pieces 62 and, 64, between which the lower edge 58 of an end wall 24 is disposed when the ventilator section is positioned on a roof. Where only one ventilator section is required, such a flashing member 60 will be provided for each end wall 24.

As previously indicated, the invention contemplates the use of a plurality of ventilator sections such as A and B when requirements demand, or where, for example, it is found necessary to add an additional section to one already installed and in use. To make uch addition possible, the invention provides connecting means for adjacently disposed ventilator sections.

Such means are shown to advantage in Figures 1, 2 and 5. They comprise a clip member 66 of sheet metal adapted to fit over the upper edges of two adjacently disposed end walls 24, and having a central notch 68 which passes over the brace 54 for the divider; a pair of channel members '1!) adapted to be disposed over the lower edges 58 of adjacently disposed end walls 24; and a supporting member 72 which rests on the roof, The supporting member 12 has its side edges folded in wardly to render it more rigid. The folded edges on the member 12 have several important functions. In the structure disclosed, the overlapped edges are designed in such a manner as to form a stop which prevents any moisture which may enter between the two sections of the ventilator from entering the building through the ventilator opening. In addition to forming this stop, they are so shaped as to form a channel which will permit moisture to be discharged on the roof of the building rather than entering the same. Still further, it is readily ascertained that their shape or design prevents the occurrence of capillary action, an action which ordinaril results when two perfectly flat pieces of metal are lapped and placed where moisture in the nature of rain or snow might reach them.

It should be apparent that when two ventilator section such as A and B (Figure l) are joined by the means just described, it will be necessary to turn back or remove the screen 25 during the joining operation.

Assuming, for example, that it is desired to position on the ridge of a roof a series of ventilator sections, the general method of assembly is as follows: First, the lower edges 58 of the end walls 24 are cut in the form of an inverted V to fit the pitch of the roof. Next, the end flashing 5c, and the connecting supporting members 12,

5 are bent to fit the pitch of the roof. The ventilator sections are then disposed over the roof opening with the lower edge 58 of the end wall 24 of the end section disposed outside of the upstanding pieces62, 64 of the end flashing 60 (see Figure 4) Where the end walls 24 of adjacent ventilator scetions meet, they are disposed on the supporting members 12 after the adjacent lower edges 58 of the end walls have had the lower clip members Til disposed thereon. The upper edges of the adjacent end walls 24 then have the upper clip 66 disposed thereon. The final step is to apply the covering screen 26,

The embodiment of Figure 6 is generall similar to that described above, but employs in'the plane of the bafile pieces Ma, [41), two brace members 14 of sheet metal provided with projecting angle portions 18. It will be seen from the drawings that these angle portions are adapted to be rigidly secured to the storm band l2 near the bottom edge by securing means 19. The brace members [4 also are rigidly secured to their adjacent baille pieces either [4a or Mb by securing means 8|. The brace members 14 are also rigidly anchored to the sheet metal bracing member 38 by means 83. In this embodiment, the brace members 14 take the place of angle members 45 in the other embodiment.

It will be noted that in both embodiments disclosed, substantially all of the parts may be simply cut and stamped from sheet metal, and that the various parts may be readily assembled with the minimum of eilort or skill,

Still further it will be apparent that the invention avoids the necessit of an angle bar supporting framework such as disclosed in the patent referred to above. In accomplishing this end the baflie pieces themselves, together with other sheet metal pieces disposed in the same plane, are

so shaped as to support the storm band in proper relationship to the walls of the eduction pipe and other elements.

As previously mentioned, the invention also makes it possible to construct ventilators in standard length unit which may be joined to one another if necessary to meet specific ventilation requirements.

It should be obvious that changes in the construction and disposition of the parts may be made within the scope of the invention as disclosed.

I claim:

1. A ventilator unit comprising an eduction pipe of elongated substantially rectangular cross section and adapted to be disposed over an elongated roof opening, a cap above said eduction pipe,,outwardly convex storm bands on opposite sides of said eduction pipe extending above the lower edge of said cap and below the upper edge of said eduction pipe, vertical baiile means extending across the space between the upper edges of said storm bands transverse to the longitudinal axis of said eduction pipe, said baffle means comprising plates extending above the upper edges of the storm bands and secured to said cap and said storm bands, and a plate disposed in the plane of said first plate and extending from the cap downwardly between the side walls of the eduction pipe and secured to said cap and said eduction pipe.

2. An elongated ventilator unit for disposition over an elongated roof opening, said ventilator having storm bands, a cap member, and an eduction pipe, said eduction pipe being comprised of spaced longitudinal members and substantially fiat sheet metal end members, and means on said end members for securing thereto the ends of the cap member and storm bands, and detachable means for securing a plurality of such units in end-to-end relationship over an elongated roof opening, said means comprising a substantially inverted U-shaped member.

3. An elongated ventilator unit comprising eduction means, a cap member, a storm band, and flat, vertically disposed, transversely extending end walls, and means for securing a plurality of said units together in end-to-end relationship over an elongated roof opening, said means comprising clip members adapted to be disposed over the top and bottom edges of adjacently disposed end walls.

4. An elongated ventilator unit comprising eduction means, a cap member, a storm band, and fiat, vertically disposed, transversely extending end walls, and means for securing a plurality of said units together in end-to-end relationship over an elongated roof opening, said means comprising clip members adapted to be disposed over the top and bottom edges of adjacently disposed end walls, and angular support means adapted to be disposed over the roof opening at the lines of junction of such ventilator units.

5. An elongated ventilator unit comprising, eduction means, a cap member, a storm band, and fiat vertical transversely disposed end walls, and a one-piece flashing member having two upstanding adjacently disposed portions between which the bottom edge of an end wall is positioned.

6. A ventilator assembly for disposition over an elongated roof opening, said assembly being comprised of a plurality of ventilator units, each of said units comprising storm hands, a cap member, and an eduction pipe, said eduction pipe having spaced longitudinal members and flat sheet metal end members secured to said longitudinal members and to the ends of said cap member and storm bands, said units being disposed over the roof opening end to end with the end members in abutting relationship, and means to secure together the abutting end members of adjacently disposed units, said last named means including channel members adapted to be disposed over the top edges of the adjacently disposed end members.

'7. A ventilator assembly for disposition over an elongated roof opening, said assembly being comprised of a plurality of ventilator units, each of said units comprising storm bands, a cap member, and an eduction pipe, said eduction pipe having spaced longitudinal members and flat sheet metal end members secured to said longitudinal members and to the ends of said cap member and storm bands, said units being disposed over the roof opening end to end with the end members in abutting relationship, and means to secure together the abutting end members of adj acently disposed units, said last named means including channel members adapted to be disposed over the top and bottom edges of the adj acently disposed end members.

8. A ventilator assembly for disposition over an elongated roof opening, said assembly being comprised of a plurality of ventilator units, each of said units comprising storm bands, a cap member, and an eduction pipe, said eduction pipe having spaced longitudinal members and flat sheet metal end members secured to said longitudinal members and to the ends of said cap member and storm bands, said units being disposed over the roof opening end to end with the end memhere in abutting relationship, and means to secure together the abutting end members of adjacently disposed units, said last named means including channel members adapted to be disposed over the top and bottom edges of the adjacently disposed end members, and angular support members disposed transversely over the roof opening at the lines of junction of the ventilator units.

9. A ventilator unit comprising eduction members, a cap member, and storm bands adapted to be disposed over an elongated roof opening, and vertical sheet metal plate bracing members, said bracing members having a larger portion of their surfaces disposed in a given plane transversely of the ventilator unit, a plurality of flanges formed on said bracing members and positioned in planes perpendicular to the plane of said surfaces and means for rigidly securing at least one of said flanges with said storm band, means for rigidly securing at least one of said flanges with said cap member, means for securing said bracing members with each other, and a flange of at least One of said members being rigidly secured to said eduction members.

10. A ventilator unit comprising eduction members, a cap member and storm bands adapted to be disposed over an elongated roof opening and vertical sheet metal plate bracing members, said bracing members having a larger portion of their surfaces disposed in a given plane transversely of the ventilator unit, a plurality of flanges formed on said bracing members, and means for rigidly securing at least one of said flanges with said storm band and means for rigidly securing at least one of said flanges with said cap member and means for securing said bracing members with each other.

GROVER C. HOCH. 

